The City of Highgate

There was once a time where Highgate was not the bustling port city it was today. Merely a century ago the city was more well known as a fortress and a military city, reliant on the good will of its rulers, which was usually not found. Highgate stands atop tall, white cliffs with only one reliable way to reach it; going upwards. Because of this, for a long time the city was praised for its military value, rather than its economic location.

Yes, this beautiful city has been misused for quite a while. Cvilisations now long gone all held the city for a while, but change finally came when the citizens had to deal with their most tyrannical overlord yet: Lord Talovar Ergol, a Human who came from a long line of nobles, born and raised in Highgate. Lord Ergol did not simply continue the trend of military use, he expanded on it! He made Highgate's citizens toil harder than they toiled before! With him in charge came a time of great injustice.

The long lived races still remember those days very clearly. Lord Ergal ran his city with an iron fist. Citizens were treated like cattle, sent to work long hours and got policed heavily for minor infractions. Many forms of expressions were outright banned as Talovar sought to keep his people docile and meek. Rights were constantly taken away and those brave few soldiers who dared oppose their lord tended to disappear mysteriously and get replaced by violent thugs who kept the peace in a cruel way. Whenever a large amount of citizens got sick or were incapable of working, lord Talovar simply kicked them off his lands and replaced them with cheap labour from refugees and outsiders. It was a truly horrid time that lasted many years. But it did not last.

Lord Ergal's downfall came at the hand of his own policies. What people assumed to be an unremarkable refugee brought in to replace a dead worker, ended up leading a revolution. No one knows who she truly is, for the woman wore a mask over her mouth made out of a potato sack and a straw hat. It was assumed she was a farmer at one point, but that is speculative. This woman, known only as The Revolutionary, lead the citizens of Highgate into an open revolt. Years of fighting went on, but eventually fortune favoured the oppressed citizens. Lord Ergal and his family were captured after a coup, and publicly executed. Not soon after did the Revolutionary disappear, never to be seen again. Some say she still walks among us to this day. Others claim she was a Celestial being under the guise of a Human to set them free. Regardless of the truth, every year Highgate gives thanks to her by a week long celebration known as The Week of Freedom.

After their freedom was won, Highgate's citizens banded together for the hard times to come. They rebuilt the city, tore down monuments to evil and transformed their home into something worthwhile. It was mainly thanks to the newly formed Guilds that Highgate recovered so seamlessly. The Fighter's Guild raised warriors and soldiers, providing defense and new prospects for its citizens. The Red Light Guild was in charge of entertainment and ensured people could enjoy themselves during these difficult times. The Merchant's Guild ensured foreign nations that Highgate was a worthy player in the game of commerce and attracted wealth to come into the city, as well as take care of their craftsmen. The Scholar's Guild was mainly responsible for distributing knowledge and provide education to the people. They allowed those clever enough to rise in the ranks and put their brains to good use. And finally, the Adventurer's Guild would keep charts up to date and map the surrounding areas while scouting for threats.

Together the guilds shot Highgate into prosperity, and so their contributions have become paramount to the city's identity. Being a guild member is a great honour that no one takes lightly.

Today, Highgate is a wellspring of commerce, discovery and entertainment. Its roots of oppression and evil are no longer present, nor will they ever allow someone or something to oppress them again. Highgate stands proud, stronger than ever, but is still growing. History is being written still, and who knows who will influence the tales they'll tell tomorrow?

The calamity came without warning. Lilac Town was heavily mismanaged and had some less than savory practises surrounding the ownership of people, but no one realised just how deeply that corruption went. No one realised foul magic was at play. Many blame the calamity on the denizens of the Underdark, as a sizable number of survivors witnessed the first signs of destruction to burst from the very ground they walked on. Others blame a cabal of mages within Lilac Town itself, that the local government did nothing to stop their practises. Whatever the truth is, it is lost now. Those few who know the truth are no longer capable of telling it. Only dedicated research into the area now known as The Scar might shed light on this mystery, but, as expected, The Scar has become highly inhospitable.

But what happened on that fateful day? Eye witness accounts all differ. Some claim the sky opened up and all manner of eldritch horrors came pouring out. Tentacled horrors, indescribable beings and even entities made out of geometrical shapes came down from the rift in the sky. Others claim the ground itself tore up, which changed the landscape drastically and summoned forth not only horrors from the deep, but also the elements. Lava, hot steam and boiling hot water came pouring out of different parts of the city, causing much destruction.

While the testimonies might contradict one another, they all feature the same elements; change. Creatures, items, landscapes, all of it changed at random before their very eyes. A hovel might have suddenly have changed its architecture into that of a different nation, only to suddenly turned into a carved boulder and into something else entirely yet again. The same happened with creatures. Some of the spawned monsters have been reported to have suddenly changed into something different entirely. Sometimes more dangerous than the being that came before, sometimes less threatening. Most notable about this however was that not every changed creature was aggressive. Some have attempted to flee, or exhibited signs of confusion and fear. Not even Lilac Town's citizens were safe of these odd effects. Reports state that some citizens even exhibited change, having been turned into horrific creatures that still roam the Scar to this day.

All of this was only going on for about a few hours in total, but the effects were drastic. The unstable magic culminated, making for a cauldron of wild, unpredictable sorcery. The Scar is cursed, and its effects are felt deep underground as well. The Undercity has been lost entirely, much in the same way Lilac Town was. Whatever happened down there is even more of a mystery, for barely anyone survived that. The few that did sought refuge in the Ashlands, knowing no other nation would take them. Information on the Underdark's fate is highly valued amongst the Scholar's Guild.

Today, you would do well to stay away from the Scar. One can easily recognize they're on cursed ground when the soil they traverse turns to glass and in the distance they can see the multicoloured magic flow against itself, as if it is in inner turmoil. Creatures find their way out of these accursed lands from time to time. Angry and confused, they are hostile to any travellers. Best you steer clear.

The Scar serves as a reminder that life is short, and it can end at any second. The wound is still fresh among the refugees, but luckily Highgate has opened its gates for them. Perhaps one day we shall learn what happened to Lilac Town, and hopefully, prevent such calamity from happening again.

The High City is situated on the highest point in Highgate, hence the name. Here the aristrocrats and wealthy make their home. Most of Highgate's highborn live on towers and mansions overlooking the sea, out of view from the harbour. The architecture around this part of the city is very Mediterranean, with buildings painted in light colours such as white or beige with tiled roofs and large portcullises.

While not a gated community, there does exist a wall between this district and the others. The gate, however, is always open. In fact, in times of danger, the common folk, by right, are allowed to seek refuge in the High City.

Some notable buildings here are the parliament the statue venerating the Revolutionist.

The lower city is where the middle class and poor communities live. While Highgate is a city of opportunity and wealth, not everyone gets to share in it. This mostly residential area is built away from the docks and the High City with rather simple architecture. The vast majority lives in this district, the people simply living day to day.

While the middle class lives comfortably, not everyone has that luck. The poor and refugees are still an issue, and this inequality is getting worked at. Recently an experiment got conducted. Some caverns were dug into the rock of Highgate and is getting turned into cheap housing. While in its very early stage, these caverns could make for an affordable alternative for the poorer citizens. This is a very controversial experiment, however, as many people feel like it is a degrading solution, as if the powers that be wish to simply hide away their poor.

Regardless, if you are seeking affordable housing, the Low City can provide you with what you need.

The Mercantile District is the lifeblood of Highgate. It serves as a downtown area and a market all conveniently placed in one, massive district. Rows upon rows of houses tower above one another, offering a variety of goods and services. If you can't find what you're looking for in Highgate's market, chances are it doesn't exist. Or it's highly illegal.

Most guilds also operate from the mercantile district, but never expand from their section, whereas the market is constantly growing. Intermingled with the market is the Red Light district as well. Here services of a more sexual nature can be procured. Much like with the trade at the markets themselves, if you can't find what you're looking for in the red light district, it either does not exist, or you're an incredibly messed up individual.

For those who are entrepreneurs by heart, the Mercantile district is the place for you!

The newest, and possibly most important addition to Highgate is its port. The port is large, and ever expanding further away from the city to allow more ships to lay anchor here.

The Waterfront are their own little eco system of shops, warehouses, bars and inns that cater to foreign visitors and sailors who would prefer to remain close to their vessel. The Adventuring Guild has a presence here too, providing naval exploration opportunities to those willing to sail the Sleeping Waters.

In general, the Waterfront is considered the main reason why Highgate is doing well. Its location is a perfect stop for passing ships. On the daily hundreds of ships come and go, making the docks possibly the busiest area of the entire city. However, it is also the place where most crimes happen. Smugglers and pirates are plentiful here and mingle with the honest traders. One can never be too sure whether the person they're speaking to is smuggling illegal cargo. It is a problem the Guilds are seeking a solution for, but at the moment, criminals can find like-minded folk here.